Obscured by Clouds
by Pillow of Winds
Summary: Danny and Sam have been friends for as long as they can remember, but as new feelings begin to stir, their relationship begins to transcend to a whole different level. DxS [Finished]
1. Strangely Lonely

Hey guys. Another deviation for your delectation. I think I had 'Dogs' by Pink Floyd in my head when I came up with the idea for this. I dunno - I just imagined Danny listening to it, and the story just grew from there. I don't know why I decided to base the story around Floyd songs - probably because I'm a Floyd maniac, but there you go.

DISCLAIMER : I don't own any of the characters in this story - Butch Hartman does.

I don't own the lyrics to 'Dogs' either - Pink Floyd do.

* * *

Sam felt strangely lonely sitting on her bed. Tucker was already well away from Amity Park, and she was leaving tomorrow to go to Anaheim with her family for a few days. Summer vacation always seemed to drag itself out for as long as possible, leaving an inevitable ennui to gradually set in. Just a week in, and she was already in the full grip of it.

Tucker had gone off a couple of days ago, and she had seen neither him nor Danny since then. They'd had a blast on the last day of school, joining the other students as they poured out into the sunlight in droves. Danny had brought a basketball with him, somehow concealing it from Lancer in his bag. They went to shoot a few hoops in the park, and Sam had thrashed them both into oblivion. Tucker looked a bit pissed off; he blamed it, and his lacklustre aim, on the heat, but Sam knew it was the sign of wounded pride. Danny however just shrugged it off.

While Tucker went off to fetch something for them to drink, she and Danny headed off in the direction of a large oak tree in the middle of the park. They had started talking about something, probably what they were going to be doing during the summer. All of them, Tucker included, had one thing in mind, though – they were going to see the Mars Volta, live in Green Bay, at the beginning of August. They were all psyched up about it; a friend of Danny's who was teaching him guitar was going and asked if they wanted to come, to which they emphatically replied, "Yes".

"Hey, you and Tucker wanna come round to my place this afternoon?" Sam nonchalantly asked him. "We'll see if you're any better at pool than you are at basketball."

"I think I'll speak for both of us and say 'yes'," Danny replied. "Who knows – maybe I'll beat you this time."

Sam laughed and said, "You wish!"

Danny responded with his typical mock-sarcastic laugh and said, "Hey, look over there!" before grabbing her around the waist and tackling her to the ground. She yelped in surprise as he pinned her arms against the grass. "Wanna bet?" he challenged her, laughing as she pushed him off again. The two of them just stayed play-fighting in the tree's shadow for a bit, eventually calling a truce and lying back down to catch their breath.

Tucker came back with three bottles of water, purchased at great personal cost, to find them underneath the boughs of the oak tree. Danny was rocking from side to side in hysterics, and although not as hard, Sam was also laughing while she brushed her hair out of her eyes. Both of their faces were distinctly flushed, which prompted Tucker to say, as irritatingly as possible, "Hope I'm not interrupting anything." Danny flipped him the finger.

Later they'd gone back to her house to watch a couple of movies. As soon as he set foot inside the doorway, Tucker's legs started quivering and he sank to his knees on the plush carpet, bowing down and chanting, "We are not worthy! We are not worthy!"

Sam rolled her eyes – he did this every time. "Get up," she said, kicking him, "this isn't the Vatican." Tucker stood up again, grinning in his usual smug fashion. The rest of the evening had just passed by in a flash. Before she knew it, she was waving goodbye to Danny and Tucker as they walked down the road towards home. It had been about 10:00pm, but the sun was still lingering on.

"Sam!" her mother called up the stairs, snapping her out of her reverie. "Are you up yet?"

She groaned and flopped back onto the bed. She still hadn't packed yet, and her parents' constant reminders did nothing to peak her enthusiasm. For whatever reason, leaving was the last thing on her mind.

Later that afternoon, after she'd finally grown sick and tired of being asked, 'Have you packed yet?', Sam gave in and threw some clothes into a suitcase. It was enough for a few days – she didn't understand why some people always took their entire frickin' wardrobe with them on holiday. She felt somewhat hemmed in inside the house, in spite of how spacious it actually was. What she needed was some fresh air.

"Just going out for a while, Mom!" she called, closing the door behind her before her mother got the chance to respond. Almost cloudless, the sky was a calming shade of blue, radiant in the sunlight. She set off in the direction of the park, feeling the wind sail gently through her hair. Branches swayed in the breeze as she walked through the gates. The smell of freshly-cut grass hung low in the air, and the sunlight sparkled off the surface of the thin canal that meandered through the park. Sam took in a deep breath and smiled. It was a nice enough place to live at any other time of the year, but it looked especially vibrant in the summer.

As she walked further along the path, she caught sight of a boy lying about thirty feet away from her. Was that Danny? It looked irrefutably like him – black hair, the design on his white T-shirt. Shielding her eyes from the sun's glare as she approached him and his features became clearer, she realised that it _was_ Danny. She smiled; he looked so oblivious to everything, plugged into his Discman, calmly drifting away in the mid-afternoon sun and moving his foot in time to an inaudible pulse. She listened as Danny sang under his breath, "_…You have to be trusted by the people that you lie to/So that when they turn their backs on you, you get the chance to put the knife in…_", and then proceeded to air-guitar the solo.

Stifling a laugh at his overt display, Sam removed one of his earphones and said, "Hey, Danny."

Startled from his daydream, Danny's eyes shot open and he saw Sam crouched down next to him. "Hey, Sam!" he answered, putting his CD on pause. "Didn't think I'd catch you down here."

"Me neither," she said. "I just finished my packing, and I thought I'd take a walk. Just to clear my head."

"Oh, right," he said as he sat up. "Me too, I guess. Couldn't face starting Lancer's stupid essay."

Sam laughed at his response and said, "Yeah, I saw you sunning yourself like a lizard. I wasn't going to see you for a few days, so I thought I'd come and, y'know, say 'hi'."

Danny smiled and looked out onto the horizon. The huge sign that mounted his doorway was just visible over the rooftops. He almost hesitated, and then asked, "Hey, Sam, you doing anything else this afternoon?"

Sam shook her head and replied, "Not really."

Danny offered her a headphone. "Wanna listen?"

"Yeah, all right," she shrugged. "What were you listening to?"

"Just some Floyd stuff." He pressed Play again, and added, "Hope you don't mind long songs."

"Why?" she asked, "How long left?"

Danny checked the display. "About fifteen minutes." Sam's eyes widened momentarily, and she lay her head down on the grass. Neither of them said anything for a few minutes as they listened to the track. She had her particular tastes in music, but this was pretty good. She listened closely to the lyrics.

_You gotta keep one eye looking over your shoulder.  
__You know it's going to get harder, and harder and harder as you get older.  
__And in the end you'll pack up and fly down south,  
__Hide your head in the sand,  
__Just another sad old man  
__All alone and dying of cancer._

_And when you lose control,  
__You'll reap the harvest you have sown.  
__And as the fear grows,  
__The bad blood slows and turns to stone._

Danny looked over at her and asked, "You like it?"

"It's pretty good," Sam evaluated. "Makes me think of Dash."

Danny laughed and said, "Yeah, I can see where you're coming from." He mused for a minute. "Kwan too, I guess."

Sam chuckled and nodded in firm agreement. For a while, the two of them simply lay side by side, letting the track run its course and watching the clouds drift across the sky, perfectly content to not say anything, just enjoy each other's company.


	2. Alta Vista

Hey guys, thanks for all the positive feedback for the first chapter. Sorry this one's taken so long, but I've been out a lot this week. Minimal time in front of a computer and creative block don't mix very well. But I'm pleased with this, so...enjoy.

I don't own any of the characters in this story - Butch Hartman does.

I don't own the lyrics to 'A Pillow of Winds' by Pink Floyd either, but I sure as hell wish I did. Hopefully when you read them, you'll see why I took my pen-name from this song, because it's such a beautiful set of lyrics, set to equally beautiful music. I strongly urge you to download it, or better yet, buy the album with it on, 'Meddle'.

* * *

Later on that afternoon, the two of them were wandering absent-mindedly through the park. Neither had any particular desire to do anything, which suited them fine. Somehow, they'd ended up talking about the Green Bay gig again and how awesome it was going to be.

"Hopefully the guy'll be able to sing on the night," Danny joked. He loved making fun of the singer just to rile Sam up, although she knew he didn't mean it.

"Shut up!" Sam laughed, elbowing him in the ribs. "Don't mock him – he's awesome!"

"Well, I guess we know who he _can_ sing better than."

Eyebrow raised, Sam turned to face him. "And who's that?" she questioned sarcastically.

"Tucker." She laughed out loud as she remembered the Ember McLaine concert a couple of months back, and Danny joined in. He sighed contentedly – he always felt better after a good laugh. "It's a little weird around here without him, huh?" he said. "And after you've gone as well, I'll be all on my own." He kicked a couple of pebbles down the path.

"Well, Mike's still here, isn't she?" Sam asked. "You could have an acoustic jam, listen to music all day."

"Yeah, that's true," Danny answered, "but without you guys…it just isn't the same. Oh, well – at least Dash isn't around."

Suddenly an idea flashed in Sam's mind. "Come on," she said, grabbing Danny's hand, "there's something I wanna show you." With that, she turned off the path and veered towards a clump of bushes, leading Danny as if he were blind. It was a steady upward climb, but one that seemed to go on forever. Faint shadows fell on the ground as they trekked up the side of the hill.

"Uh, Sam?" Danny asked, "Where exactly are you taking me?"

"You'll find out," Sam replied. "Trust me, it'll be worth it."

The two of them pressed on through the undergrowth, feeling the sunlight shine through the foliage. It was a place that Sam frequented when she was feeling a bit angry or depressed, or she simply wanted some time to think. She'd seen in movies like _Hero_ or _Crouching Tiger_ little platforms, often looking out over wide expanses of forest, where people would sit and meditate. While not exactly secluded, its calm surroundings made her feel that way when she was there.

Later, as they approached the summit, she suddenly realised that she was still holding onto Danny's hand, and also that he hadn't let go either. Her instinctive reaction was to let go, but for some reason, she couldn't. The feeling of his hand underneath hers was so warm and comforting that she didn't _want_ to. Even before the whole Ember thing, she'd begun to feel differently about him. The two of them had always maintained that they were just friends, nothing more, nothing less. But since then, she wasn't quite so sure. Sensing her face redden, she turned briefly to look at him over her shoulder and saw that his was almost the same colour. He let out a short, embarrassed laugh and she did the same before turning her eyes back to the path they were treading. Maybe it was just an odd feeling, but she swore she could feel Danny's grip tighten ever so slightly.

Eventually she cleared some more branches and stepped back out into the sunlight. She looked back towards Danny as he followed her and said, "Pretty awesome, isn't it?"

Looking out over the hilltop, he whistled in awe as he saw the panorama unfold below. From up here he had a view of the whole of Amity Park – his house, Sam's, the school, everything. It brought back memories of a trip his family made out to California not so long ago. He couldn't remember why – probably his dad's own "ghost sense" talking, but he did remember being driven down Route 95 and along Big Sur, looking out over the waves with undivided attention. It was a similar sort of feeling as he looked out over the rows of houses, the roofs lined up like the crests of waves roaring toward the shore…

Sam called to him and he turned around to look at her. She was sitting at the base of a tree about twenty feet away, beckoning him over. As he walked over into the shade and sat down next to her, he took another long look out over the town and thought how empty it would seem when Sam and Tucker were away.

_A cloud of eiderdown draws around me,  
Softening the sound  
Sleepy time when I lie  
With my love by my side  
And she's breathing low, and the candle dies_

Sam yawned. The shade and the sun's lingering warmth were making her feel drowsy. Almost subconsciously, she leaned back, sitting up again when she realised it was Danny's arm she was leaning against. "Sorry," she said, laughing nervously, "do you mind if I…"

"No…not at all," Danny replied. "I'm a little bit more comfortable than a tree."

Smiling with him, Sam lay back down again, her head resting just below his shoulder-blade. He hesitated, and then slowly put his arms around her neck.

As she felt his arms come down over her head, Sam turned her head and smiled at him again. She'd seen Danny in his ghost form so many times that it had become second nature, but now she genuinely felt grateful for the protection he was giving her. It wasn't much on the surface, but deeper down it meant so much more. This wasn't Danny Phantom with all his supernatural powers; this was just plain old Danny Fenton.

Danny smiled back and returned his gaze to the view. A birdcall sounded out above his head, and he said, "You're right…it is pretty awesome."

Sam laughed affectionately and answered, "Yeah. I just come up here every time I need to do some thinking or there's something big on my mind. Just sitting down and looking out like this…it's just soothing, y'know? It's calming." She breathed in deeply. "I've not been here with anyone else before. You're the first person I've brought up with me."

_When night comes down, you lock the door  
The book falls to the floor  
As darkness falls and waves roll by  
The seasons change, the wind is warm_

Danny was glad that Sam's eyes were closed because by now he was blushing furiously. He hadn't felt this way before, not even towards Paulina. He wasn't quite sure – maybe it was just young lust as far as Paulina was concerned. She was like a Siren, luring him and countless others onto the rocks of death with her beauty. But underneath those seductive features, there wasn't much to speak of – nothing but a pretty face on a hollow statue. There was nothing that remained – all but the bitter residue had slipped away, the memories of each time he'd got his hopes up and she'd just shot him down again.

He and Sam and Tucker shared some sort of connection – each of them was an outcast, ostracised from the social circuit. No matter how hard he hit the ground, one look was enough to get him to dust himself off and get back on his feet. He felt so privileged to be sitting here with her, to feel her soft hair just under his cheek, and he longed to run his hand over it…

Could he be…was he falling in love with Sam?

Qualms of uneasiness hit him all of a sudden, not because of the realisation now dawning on him, but because of how he'd fallen for Paulina so easily. It was obvious that Paulina and Sam didn't like each other at all, but he'd never thought to consider how his blind devotion might have affected the others around him. Had he hurt Sam's feelings all this time and never even _apologised_ for it?

He felt disgusted with himself. _OK_, he told himself, _if you're going to tell Sam how you feel about her, you're going to have to face up to it and say you're sorry. But how?..._

_Now wakes the owl, now sleeps the swan  
Behold a dream, the dream is gone_

Danny sighed. "I've been such an idiot." Damn it, he hadn't meant to say that.

Sam turned around to look at him quizzically. "What makes you say that?"

Danny cursed silently and struggled to continue. As he looked into her eyes, everything became harder to say; his mind went blank and his tongue went dry. _Come on, Fenton, focus,_ he told himself, _or you'll never be able to tell her_. He swallowed hard and replied, "I dunno, I…I was just doing some thinking the other night, about…some things…" He trailed off again.

"Like what?" Sam prompted him.

Danny took a deep breath and eventually forced out, "The thing with Paulina…and how much of a waste of time it's all been." He stared out towards Amity Park. "I mean, what did I get out of it? Nothing. Just the same thing, over and over again. I can't believe I've been so stupid, trying to impress someone who doesn't even care if I exist. All I've done is just hurt the ones I really cared about…" He trailed off, inhaled deeply again and said, "I'm sorry, Sam. I didn't…I didn't think to treat you a little bit better…"

Sam's chest tightened as she saw a tear fall from his eye. Wiping it off, she said, "Aw, come on, Danny, don't worry about it. People make mistakes, it wasn't your fault…" He still looked burdened with guilt, so she pulled him close and stroked the back of his head. "I felt a little angry, I'll admit that…but I just didn't want you to get hurt, that's all. I was just frustrated. It doesn't change the way I feel about you."

Danny smiled. "I know that," he murmured, sitting back against the tree trunk and drying his eye. "I probably should've listened, huh?"

"People make mistakes," Sam reiterated. "We're all flawed in some way. It's no big deal."

His smile didn't falter. "Thanks, Sam."

"Don't sweat it," she said, smiling back. "What are friends for?" She lay down next to him again, leaning her head on his shoulder. "That Lancer?" she asked, pointing down towards Amity Park.

Danny squinted. "Could be," he answered. "But it looks like he's wearing a dress…" Both of them laughed and sat under the boughs of the tree, back to the simple pleasure of watching the world go by.

_Green fields, a cold rain  
Is falling in a golden dawn_

_And deep beneath the ground  
The early morning sounds and I go down  
Sleeping time when I lie  
With my love by my side  
And she's breathing low_

When they reached the bottom of the hill again, Sam glanced at her watch and saw with surprise that two-and-a-half hours had passed since she set foot out the door. She needed to get home, even if it _did_ mean that her parents would bombard her with yet _more_ questions about her packing, did she have enough stuff to wear, et cetera, et cetera.

"Hey, Danny," she said, "I've had a really great time this afternoon, but I gotta get home. You know – parents getting concerned for no real reason."

"Sure," Danny answered, "no problem."

"Well, I'll talk to you soon, I guess," Sam said, shuffling her feet.

"Yeah. Enjoy Anaheim."

"Yeah, as if that's even possible," Sam scoffed, and he laughed. He looked at her again, still grinning. Thinking what to do next, she thought, _The hell with it_, and hugged him. "I'm gonna miss you," she said, giving him a quick kiss on the cheek.

For a minute, Danny wasn't quite sure what to say or what to think, reluctant to break away from the embrace as the two of them swayed gently from side to side. "Yeah, I'll miss you too." Eventually, and unwillingly, Sam let go. "Send me an e-mail or something. Maybe we could meet up with Tucker after you guys get back?" he suggested.

"Yeah, cool, I'd like that," she said. Quickly glancing at her watch, she hastily added, "Sorry, Danny, I gotta run. I'll keep in touch, OK?"

"OK," he said. "Have a good time."

Sam smiled and said, "See you later!" before disappearing round the corner. Hands in his pockets, Danny leaned back against the wall, trying to comprehend the last hour or so. As he turned the other way and started to make his own way home, he looked up towards the hilltop and smiled at the thought of the view, and the person he'd felt lucky enough to share it with.

_And I rise like a bird in the haze  
When the first rays touch the sky  
And the night winds die._


	3. For the First Time Today

Man - I have had so little time to write this in the past week or so. Most of it's only been done in the last couple of days. But hopefully it's been worth it. Oh and BTW - I've never been to Anaheim, so I've no idea at all what it looks like. The image was just the first thing that came into my head.

I don't own the characters in this story - Butch Hartman does.

I don't own the lyrics to 'Breathe' or 'Wish You Were Here' - Pink Floyd do. ('Breathe' is in _**bold italics**_, 'Wish You Were Here' in _italics_).

* * *

Danny's eyes opened wearily as his alarm clock shook him abruptly from sleep. Lying on his side, he snatched blindly for it and grimaced as his hand struck the corner of his desk. The temptation to hurl it out of, or preferably through the window, was almost irresistible, but he had enough things on his mind. The fact that he was stuck at home with his parents and Jazz for the next few days was enough; a broken window was simply more trouble than it was worth.

Bleary-eyed, he switched it off and rolled onto his back. For a while he gazed up at the ceiling, wondering how long today was going to drag itself out for. For the last three days, he felt like there was no energy in his body at all. He hadn't slept so well the night before – the last time he looked at his clock, it was 5:40am – and he'd felt so lethargic the next day that he couldn't keep himself awake. _Good thing it's summer vacation_, he thought, _or I'd be falling asleep in Lancer's lesson again…_

Even though his parents had asked him yesterday if there was something on his mind (his dad was convinced it had _something_ to do with ghosts), he denied that there was anything wrong, which was no lie – his usual school-related fears had been allayed, at least for the time being. But that night, for some reason, he hadn't been able to stop thinking about her. Even when he was awake, Sam dominated every conscious thought. Whenever he walked into Amity Park, he would think he'd seen her across the street or outside the mall, but each time it would turn out to be someone else. He missed her so much, and although she knew she'd be back soon, the distance that separated them made it even harder to bear.

He swung his legs over the side of his bed and sighed. With Sam in Anaheim and Tucker in…well, wherever the hell he was, the entire town felt desolate and empty to him. He didn't particularly want to do anything, but he didn't really want to lie in bed and brood either. Still feeling a little drowsy, he got dressed and went downstairs.

_**Breathe, breathe in the air  
Don't be afraid to care  
Leave, but don't leave me  
Look around, choose your own ground**_

"Morning, Danny!" his mother greeted him as he went into the kitchen. "Did you sleep better last night?"

Jazz walked past him as he came in. "Try 'at all'," she said, ruffling Danny's hair.

He sighed at his sister's gesture and replied, "Yeah, I did, thanks." He yawned and sat down at the table, cradling his head in his hands.

"Are you _sure_ you're feeling OK?" Maddie asked him, sitting down opposite him. "You look like you could use a couple more hours."

"I'm all right," Danny said. Damn, his mom really cared about him too much sometimes. He wasn't sure whether he should her about his feelings for Sam, and almost decided to do it… But then she'd get all excited and she'd tell Jack – oh, God, and she'd tell _Jazz_ as well. If she knew that for a fact, she wouldn't stop obsessing about it until the summer was over. At least._ No_, he thought firmly, _give it a little while_… His mother still looked unconvinced. "Really," he reassured her, "I'm fine. Still recovering from last night, I guess."

Maddie smiled. "OK, honey," she said, "I just want to make sure." Suddenly a loud crash came through the kitchen floor, loud and violent enough to make the windows rattle. Rolling her eyes, she said, "I'd better check on your father," then hurried out and towards the basement, leaving Danny alone with his thoughts.

_**For long you'll live and high you'll fly  
And smiles you'll give and tears you'll cry  
And all you touch and all you see  
Is all your life will ever be.**_

Leaning on the railings, Sam looked out from the balcony of her hotel room. It was only about 7:00am in Anaheim, but the Sun had already risen and was idly sitting behind the buildings in the distance.

_So this is Orange County_, Sam thought to herself. As she'd expected, she didn't really take to Anaheim. Having always identified the "City of Angels" and all the littler cities around it as a place where everything was governed by wealth, fame and popularity, everything she disliked, the experience was far from positive. Luckily for her, the hotel they were staying in wasn't in the city centre, but just inside the city limits where everything was a bit quieter. The lull was a bit of a reprieve, the calm before the storm. Whenever her parents wanted to do anything, they insisted on setting out during the hottest time of the day, and the heat coupled with the noise was rarely bearable. Everyone who commuted or lived here was some sort of speed demon – time was always of the essence, a highly valued commodity. The streets heaved with throngs of people trying to get to the same place at the same time. They were like ants, she thought, slaves to a remorseless grind.

Taking a deep breath, Sam was grateful for the little bit of peace she'd been granted. Now she had a little bit of time to think things through. Without the bustle of day-to-day urban living that would usually kick up around 9:00, the only noise she could hear was the faint buzz of crickets in the bushes, occasionally permeated by a horn honking or a train passing nearby. The early morning sunlight wasn't too dazzling, but bright enough to softly illuminate the landscape around her. Some sparkled off the surface of the narrow canal to her left as it meandered through the grass.

_So you think you can tell heaven from hell?  
Blue skies from pain?  
And can you tell a green field  
From a cold steel rail?  
A smile from a veil?  
Do you think you can tell?_

A light breeze blew across the balcony, making her shiver. So far during the holiday she'd still been asleep around this time. That morning, however, she'd woken up around 6:30 and couldn't get back to sleep. After lying wide awake for half-an-hour, knowing her parents wouldn't be up for a while yet, she pulled on her dressing-gown and quietly opened the double doors that led out to the balcony. As she looked toward the city, she was reminded of the hilltop and that blissfully long afternoon she'd spent with Danny.

A quiet sigh escaped Sam's lips. She'd felt excited, and a little relieved, when she saw that he felt the same way for her as she did for him. Her journal remained empty that night – she couldn't express how happy she felt in an appropriate enough way. But now that she knew, she'd have to wait to see him again. _Why did I have to go straight away?_, she fumed silently, _I could have told him more…_should_ have told him more…_

She shook her head vigorously and told herself to get a grip. OK, so she wouldn't see Danny for a few days, it wasn't like they weren't ever going to see each other again. And yet…she felt like there was someone missing in her life, ever since they'd pulled out of Amity Park. It sounded corny, sure, but she hadn't experienced it before, and it only served to make the wait seem longer and longer, which in turn made the feeling stronger. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't stop thinking about him, and it was driving her crazy.

"It's just three days…" she muttered under her breath, repeating it to herself over and over again, "just three days…just three days…"

_And did they get you to trade  
Your heroes for ghosts,  
Hot ashes for trees?  
Hot air for a cool breeze?  
Cold comfort for change?  
Did you exchange a walk-on part in a war  
For a lead role in a cage?_

Half-stumbling across his room from tiredness, Danny booted up his computer then went to open his curtains. He stepped back blinded as the sunlight hit him full on.

As his eyes readjusted to the light, he spied his guitar in the corner, unused since he'd gone round to Mike's the day before yesterday. He'd been unable to concentrate long enough to play a single chord that afternoon, prompting Mike to ask him if anything was on his mind. Mike was only about a month older than he was, but he found her the best person to talk to at times like these. But at that moment, telling her what was wrong was like being in a confession booth. He managed to string some sentences together, talked about how Sam had left for a few days, the afternoon in the park, how he couldn't stop thinking about her…

Mike smiled sympathetically. "You're pining for her, aren't you?" she said.

"Yeah," Danny admitted with a laugh.

"She feel the same way about you?"

"I think so," he said. "I mean, I couldn't be sure…but she looked like it."

"Sure as hell sounds like it to me," Mike said, patting him on the shoulder. "Don't worry about it, man. She'll be back. I'm sure she misses you too." Picking up her guitar, she started playing 'Blowin' in the Wind' again. Danny listened to her, absent-mindedly singing the words with her under his breath.

As he walked back to his computer, he noticed the wallpaper he had on his desktop – a photo of him, Sam and Tucker that his dad had taken on the digital camera. It was late evening, and Jack still didn't know how to work the camera properly, so the three of them were in focus, but everything else left a trail of light behind it. He looked at it for a while, smiling. He felt better for talking to Mike, no doubt about that, but the three days still stretched on dauntingly ahead of him, which, he guessed, he'd have to ride out for now.

_How I wish,  
How I wish you were here.  
We're just two lost souls  
Swimming in a fish bowl, year after year,  
Running over the same old ground.  
What have we found?  
The same old fears  
Wish you were here_

(Three days later)

_**Home, home again.  
I like to be here when I can.  
When I come home cold and tired,  
It's good to warm my bones beside the fire.**_

Edging open her bedroom door with her foot, Sam flung her suitcase onto her bed. The dark purple wallpaper, black drapes and the general Goth décor were hardly welcoming to the naked eye; to her, it was home.

She fell backwards onto the bed. The journey home hadn't been that long, but emotionally, she felt worn out. Her eyelids drooped and she almost nodded off to sleep when she heard her mother's voice call up the stairs.

"Sam! 'Phone for you!"

Instinctively, Sam surged up. Her hand hovered over the receiver, quivering with anticipation, hoping it was Danny… "Hello?"

"Hey, Sam," a voice answered, "it's Danny."

"Hey, you," she said. "How's it going? Anything happen while I was away?"

"Nope, not really. Tucker can almost shoot a hoop now." She laughed. "Hey, you wanna do something tomorrow? We could meet up at the mall, go see a movie or something."

"Sure," Sam said, "I'd love to."


	4. Faces in the Crowd

My days - this update took so long. Sorry guys - school stuff's getting pretty hectic, plus I couldn't really think of anything good to write until the last few days. But thanks for being patient - I'll try to update quicker next time!

I don't own 'Danny Phantom' - Butch Hartman does.

I don't own the lyrics to 'Fearless' either - Pink Floyd do.

* * *

Danny glanced at the doorway again. He didn't like to think he was nervous, but truthfully speaking, he was. His mind was a blank slate and couldn't think of anything to say, blindly confiding in the hope that something would come together. 

Tucker watched his friend pace back and forth and said, "Looks like somebody's nervous." His sly grin showed that he knew what Danny didn't want him to know.

"Will you knock that off, Tuck?" Danny retorted, irritated that he had figured it out already. He and Sam both knew Tucker couldn't keep a secret to save his life. "Sam and I are –"

"Just friends," Tucker finished for him, "yeah, I know, you've told me that, like, fifty times already. It's the same line you keep feeding me, buddy." Danny opened his mouth to refute his statement, and then closed it again. Resigned, he cast his gaze over towards the doors. "Why do you look so scared?" Tucker asked him, "It's obvious she likes you."

_You say the hill's too steep to climb, climbing  
__You say you'd like to see me try, climbing  
__You pick the place and I'll choose the time_

"Yeah, I know," Danny said uneasily, "but…"

"So? This isn't like some blind date you're meeting for the first time. Sam's your best friend, man. How long have we three known each other? You guys know each other so well, you just…" Tucker gesticulated, trying to find the right word. "You just _click_, you know, two pieces to the same puzzle. What's there to worry about?"

"I don't know," Danny muttered, pushing his hair out of his eyes. "It's weird…I've been kinda waiting for this for a week, and now it's here, I don't know what to say –"

Just then, he was cut off and knocked forward as Sam ambushed him from behind. As he felt and saw Sam's arms around his neck, he said, "Easy! I'm happy to see you, too!" He glanced over his shoulder and saw her face again, and just felt happy to see her.

"Hey," Sam said, ruffling his hair, "glad to see you survived with your parents for a week. A mighty feat by all means." Danny laughed. Sam's barb-wire wit definitely hadn't dulled.

"Hey, Sam," Tucker waved ostentatiously, pretending to distract them from each other. "How was Anaheim?"

"Oh, jeez," Sam buried her face in her hands. "Noisy, polluted, generally unpleasant. What about you? You fare any better in…where did you go again?"

"Trust me, you don't even wanna know," Tucker assured her. "Another insignificant little village in some other insignificant stretch of countryside – boring to the point of stultifying. If I hadn't had my PDA, I might have actually gone nuts."

Sam raised an eyebrow and folded her arms. "Who'd have thought it might actually save your life one day."

"So," Danny asked, "what do you guys wanna do?"

"Well, I haven't eaten since yesterday," Sam replied. "Wanna get something to eat?"

"Sounds good to me," Tucker said, leading the way. "I'm starving."

_And I'll climb the hill in my own way  
__Just wait a while for the right day  
__And as I rise above the tree-line and the clouds  
__I look down hearing the sound  
__Of the things you've said today._

All of a sudden, Danny yelled as something hard struck the back of his skull. The stinging pain was almost enough to make his eyes water, and he put his hand protectively over his injury.

"Danny!" Sam said in surprise as she and Tucker hurried back over to him. "Are you OK?"

"Yeah," Danny answered, "I'm fine." He took away his hand to see a light patch of blood on the tip of his finger. Whatever had hit him, it had done it hard enough to break the skin.

A tiny flash of light caught Sam's attention, and she looked at the floor to see a coin spinning on its side until it came to rest. She picked it up. It wasn't a nickel, or even a dime – it was a full size quarter, and someone had hurled it at Danny's head. "Who the hell did that?" she asked, showing Danny and Tucker the coin before answering, "As if I didn't know." The three of them turned round to face Dash Baxter, arms folded, malevolent smirk planted firmly on his face.

"Heads up!" he called over to them before adding, "Oops! Too late." A ripple of approval emanated from the crowd of sycophants and yes-men surrounding him.

_Oh, great_, Danny thought, _just great. Dash, Kwan, Paulina, all the old favourites, back together for one day only._ Why today, of _all_ the days…

"Whoa, Dash, you could've taken an eye out with that!" Kwan joked.

A look of horror crossed Dash's face. "Hey, you're right…" he began, before adding, "Guess I'll have to aim better next time!" The crowd laughed again, but Sam had had enough.

"Why do you keep picking on him?" she rounded on Dash, "What the hell's he ever done to you?"

Kwan held his hands up for self-protection, stepping back a couple of paces as if Sam were pointing a gun at him. "Someone's on the defensive, huh?" he joked. Dash gave him a high five.

"C'mon, guys," Tucker recommended, starting to walk off, "It's not worth hanging around here."

"Yeah, good idea, Foley," Dash jeered, "better to keep that mouth of hers under control."

"Or what?" Sam asked defiantly, "Before I corrupt your fragile, eggshell mind?"

"Yeah, before we start eating dirt and end up like you." The jock's answer brought out another collective laugh from his group of followers.

_Fearless the idiot faced the crowd, smiling_

"Hey," Danny interjected, diverting Dash's attention away from his friends. "She's an individual. It doesn't make her a freak."

"Aw, listen to that," Dash said with a voice so full of derision it made Danny's skin crawl, "Fenton standing up for his little girlfriend. I knew it, boys –" He pointed at Danny. " – the geeks are in love!" Laughing so hard he was almost in tears, Kwan clutched his belly as the rest of the entourage joined Dash in mocking Danny.

Smiling thinly, Danny put his hands in his pockets. "You're a funny guy, Dash," he said with quiet sarcasm. "I gotta admit, they don't tell 'em quite like you do."

_Merciless the magistrate turns round, frowning_

Dash's smile faded at the sound of his words, and the rest of the group gradually fell silent one by one. "I don't think I like your tone of voice, Fenton," he said, softly, but menacingly.

_Oh, my God_, Danny thought frantically, _what have I done?_ He didn't know where he'd acquired this new self-confidence, but he hoped like hell it would disappear, and quickly – he didn't like where this was going.

Dash slowly advanced on him like a wolf preparing for the kill. "Care to add anything?" he dared him.

"Look, if you've got a problem with me, that's fine. I can live with that," Danny replied, his voice never rising and his stance never faltering. "Just leave Sam and Tucker out of this, all right? They haven't done anything wrong."

Dash appeared to consider this for a brief moment before compromising, "All right, I will," before lunging for Danny's throat and grabbing him by his T-shirt. He expected the loser to struggle, maybe even plead for mercy, but he was slightly taken aback to witness nothing happen. Even if Danny _was_ feeling scared at that moment, his indifferent stare didn't betray that for a minute. Fenton never acted like this – and it was as weird to Sam and Tucker as it was to him. Nevertheless, he sneered at Danny, unwilling to let the freak's new attitude undermine his own sense of superiority.

_And who's the fool who wears the crown  
__No doubt in your own way  
__And every day is the right day_

Danny stared blankly at Dash's hateful grin, strangely unperturbed by the football jock's fist resting below his jawbone or the encirclement of Dash's entourage lapping up every minute of this event.

"What's the matter, Fenton?" Dash jeered, "not going to fight back?"

"Are you crazy?" Danny answered calmly, "Me, skin and bones, fight you, star quarterback? I'll kill myself –" He was cut off as Kwan came up behind and twisted his arm round behind his back, and he grimaced as it sent discomfort rushing through his system.

Dash laughed in his face and hissed, "That'll teach you to keep your mouth shut, then, won't it, freak?"

"Hey! You there!" someone barked from down the hallway. Dash looked up to see a mall security guard striding purposefully up to them. The man was quite large, not exactly obese, but stocky, and his beard and piercing eyes gave him the appearance of a druid. "Put him down, now!" he said. "Go on! Get outta here!"

Kwan let go of Danny's arm and Dash gave him a sudden and forceful push in the ribs, winding him and making him fall backwards. As the guard waved his hands and moved the group along, Paulina surveyed him as he tried to get his breath back. "Pathetic," she said, and then followed the rest.

_Look who's talking_, Danny thought as he got slowly to his feet. He felt a little bit dizzy, scarcely believing what had just happened. Had he really said what he'd said just then? The guard gave him a quick glance and then sauntered off on the rest of his duty.

_And as you rise above the fear-lines in his brow  
__You look down and hear the sound of the faces in the crowd._

"Danny!" Sam called as he dusted himself off, "Are you OK?"

"Yeah, what were you doing, man?" Tucker asked incredulously, "You crazy or something?"

There was a short laugh from Danny. "I don't know," he said, "possibly."

Sam looked into his eyes. Their steely glaze had softened now, returning to their former placid, blue colour. She rubbed his arm. "You didn't need to stand up for us," she said. Better that three people shared the grief between them than one taking it for the team, she thought.

"Yeah," Danny answered, "but I did. It's no big deal, really." Sam gave him a reassuring smile, and he did the same. "So…how about that 'getting something to eat'?"

* * *

Later, with the incident firmly behind them, the three of them were walking back towards the exit. Danny was feeling a little more relaxed than he did earlier. Maybe because his friends were back, he didn't have as much time to immerse himself in his own thoughts. He'd been doing that a lot lately; drifting off, staring blankly into space until someone brought him back to planet Earth. Maybe it was because – 

"Danny!" someone called from behind him. He turned around to find Mike walking towards him with her boyfriend.

"Hey, Mike!" he replied as Mike ran up and hugged him affectionately. "How are you?"

"I'm good, dude," she said, "can't complain!" Her eyes lit up when she saw that Sam and Tucker were back. "All right, guys?" she asked them, hugging Sam and then cuffing Tucker playfully on the chin. "Good vacations?"

"Oh, yeah," Sam answered drolly, "as if Anaheim could have been _anything_ but enjoyable."

"Mine doesn't even bear talking about," Tucker said, rolling his eyes at the tedious memories.

"Wow," Mike's boyfriend said sarcastically, "I bet Danny was sorry to stay home." Tim was exceptionally tall for his age, almost six foot, and cut a very looming presence, but he was too mild-mannered to pose any sort of threat. Mike called him "the gentle giant", which suited his personality perfectly.

Mike elbowed him. "Anyway," she continued, "I'm having a little get-together on Friday. You guys fancy coming?"

Danny looked at his friends for confirmation. Tucker said, "Yeah, all right," and Sam appeared to suggest the same thing.

"Sure," Danny answered, "anything in particular?"

"I dunno," Mike shrugged, "summer vacation thing, really."

"Summer solstice and stuff," Tim added, before dropping his voice and adding, "Mike's parents are really druids. From Stonehenge."

Mike batted his hand again jokingly, causing a wide grin to spread across the tall lad's face. "It's at my house, 8-12, though you can probably stay the night if you want," she said, looking directly at Danny and Sam.

"Sure," Danny said, trying to steer the conversation away from him and Sam before Tucker got started again, "sounds great."

"Cool," Mike said, "see you there!" With that, she grabbed Tim's hand and said, "Let's go, you," before leading him off.

"Catch you guys later!" Tim called over his shoulder. The three of them waved, and Mike and Tim waved back before disappearing round the corner.

"Party on Friday, huh?" Tucker goaded, eyebrow raised.

"Tucker!" Danny warned him.

"Maybe a chance to get to…_first base_?" Tucker said furtively, pushing his luck as far as he could.

"Tucker, shut up!" Sam and Danny said in perfect tandem. Feigning surprise at their outburst, Tucker grinned and headed off towards the arcade, proud in the knowledge that his hypothesis had just been proven again. Danny and Sam followed behind, unaware that both of them were thinking the same thing.

_Maybe_, they both wondered, _just maybe._


	5. Nothing Less

Another _long_ update - sorry guys. Got my final exams coming up, so I haven't been left with enough time to write this as I would've liked. But I hope you enjoy it - one more chapter to go now.

I don't own 'Danny Phantom' - Butch Hartman does.

I don't own the lyrics to either 'Fat Old Sun' or 'Comfortably Numb' - Pink Floyd do.

* * *

The distant horizon was fringed with a pure red-orange colour, like the embers of a great celestial fire. The Sun still made its way idly across the sky, a blazing disc preparing to immerse itself in the ground. Sunlight cascaded down the street as Danny walked up towards Sam's house, flooding the slabs of concrete with a rich, warm glow. He hadn't bothered to change into anything special, and he didn't suppose Sam would've done, either. After all, this was nothing fancy like their last school dance had been – just friends getting together and celebrating the summer. And yet, Danny wondered, it could bear so much more significance than that, for both of them. He didn't really know what to think as, not totally without hesitation, he reached for the doorbell and depressed. Taking a deep breath, he peered down the street again. In the distance, he thought he could make out the lonely tree he and Sam had sat under. He smiled at the memory, but was pulled abruptly from it as he heard the door open. He was surprised to see Sam standing in front of him. 

_**When that fat old sun in the sky is falling  
Summer evening birds are calling  
Summer sunday and a year  
The sound of music in my ears**_

"Hey," he said, not expecting to see her so soon. He thought one of her parents or someone from the staff would answer the door instead, but here she was, ready to go. At least he was right about one thing – she hadn't considered a dress code, either. "You didn't camp out in the hallway, did you?" he asked, the corner of his mouth curving upwards into a smile.

Sam laughed and leaned against the door frame. "And what if I did?" she asked, smiling enigmatically at him. "Nothing illegal about it, surely?"

"Only in certain parts of the state," Danny answered, putting his hands in his pockets. "So…shall we go?"

"Probably a good idea," Sam said before shouting over her shoulder, "I'm off, Mom!"

"Have a good time!" her mother called back before Sam closed the door.

"Well – let's go," she said, walking down the stone steps with Danny in tow. As the two of them wandered towards the bus stop, Sam felt herself unwind. There was something strangely soothing, almost therapeutic, about this time of evening, at this time of year. The Sun hadn't quite gone down yet, and the air was so much fresher than in the heatwave of the early afternoon. This was what poets described in their odes and sonnets, what artists painted on their blank canvases. When she, Danny and Tucker were younger, this was the time they usually played baseball or hunted fireflies in the back yard until it was time to come in. And to spend it with Danny tonight…that made everything even better.

Tucker had been indisposed that whole day. He'd called her and Danny that morning to say he was being dragged off somewhere or other by his parents again, and that he'd meet them at Mike's later that even. Honestly, Sam thought, the boy had no backbone to speak of. Oh, well – at least they wouldn't have to endure his teasing for so long that evening.

As they rounded the corner and headed towards the bus stop, Danny could hear his thoughts screaming at him in the silence, urging to do something, _anything_.

"You still looking forward to the gig?" Sam asked him, breaking the deadlock for him.

"Yeah, you bet," he replied eagerly, "it's gonna be awesome. I was listening to _De-loused_ this afternoon."

"Good choice," Sam said, "good choice. Best hour you ever spent in your life."

"Yeah. I heard the support band's pretty good as well."

"Really? Who're they?"

"I think they're called Caesar's Arrival, or something. Tim told me about them – they're a kinda psychedelic, hard rock outfit."

Sam raised an eyebrow in interest. "Sounds good to me," she said. "You written any more songs lately?"

Danny laughed and replied, "Not really," which in fact was a bare-faced lie. He'd written a few verses down while Sam was away, mainly looking for something to take his mind off his thoughts. Maybe, he'd thought back then, maybe he'd play them to her some day. "Been spending way too much time on the internet."

"_Deus ex Machina_?" Sam asked. It was the game he and Tucker were always on and raving about. They weren't really that good, although they were getting better.

Danny grinned sheepishly before saying, "Yes," as they reached the bus-stop.

Sam took another deep breath. The dwindling sunlight made everything seem so picturesque. "Hey, Danny," she asked, "how long is it to walk to Mike's house?"

Danny frowned as he tried to work it out. "I don't know…fifteen? Twenty minutes?"

"Well, it's such a nice evening…" Sam said, almost forgetting what she was going to say. "Why don't we walk there instead?"

"Sure, OK," Danny agreed, and they went on foot. While they kept their conversation going – music, TV, Lancer among other things – and despite the warm evening weather, Danny still couldn't help but feel a little cold. About ten minutes after they had left the bus stop, a cool breeze suddenly sent a chill racing up his spine, forcing him to shiver and fold his arms across his chest.

Sam noticed him and asked, "You cold?"

"Yeah, a little bit," Danny answered. "It's so warm out, though…don't know why…"

"Here," Sam offered, slipping her arm around his waist. "It's not much, but, you know…"

Smiling at her in gratitude, Danny _did_ feel a lot warmer as Sam drew them a little closer together. As they walked along the sidewalk, almost subconsciously, he put his arm around her shoulders. Sam smiled back, and the two of them listened calmly to the assorted chorus of birdsong that accompanied them.

_**And if you see, don't make a sound  
Pick your feet up off the ground  
And if you hear as the warm night falls  
A silver sound from a tongue so strange  
Sing to me, sing to me…**_

The two of them stood on Mike's porch, waiting for the response as Danny knocked on the door. Sam looked a little uneasy. "What's wrong?" he inquired.

"Nothing, really," Sam said. "Just a bit nervous, I think."

"Hey, don't worry," he said, tipping a supportive wink at her, "it'll be fine, all right?" Sam smiled at him, grateful to have someone to look after her a little bit.

The door swung open to reveal Tim standing inside the doorway. "Hey, guys!" he greeted them, "How's it going?"

"Pretty good," Danny replied before Tim engaged him in the Masonic handshake he was accustomed to giving people. Bemused, Sam looked on at the bizarre ritual as the hand gestures came and went in rapid succession.

"Normally I'm obliged to ask for the two-handed version," Tim said, grinning at them. "But I'll let you off this time – looks like you've only got one arm free at the moment." He nodded at Danny's other arm, which still lay around Sam's shoulders.

"Ha-ha," Sam replied sarcastically, "you're almost a laugh but you're really a cry."

Tim murmured with approval. "Another Floydian, huh?" he said, turning back to Danny. "Knew you'd get her onto _Animals_ some day."

Sam couldn't help but laugh. She could see why Tim was so likeable – he was so laid back he was almost horizontal, and his sense of humour was direct but subtle. No wonder Mike had taken to him so quickly.

"Well, I totally understand if you're just _dying_ to stand outside all evening," Tim said, beckoning them to come in, "but you're just as welcome inside."

"Yeah, I think we'll take you up on that," Danny smiled. He and Sam stepped inside as Tim shut the door behind them. The curtains were still open in the front room, and there was pretty modest group of people standing around, just talking. Not the Riviera-style crap that they were used to hearing Dash, Paulina and others brag about, but comparing music, discussing films, cracking jokes, just generally having a good time.

"Hey, guys!" Mike called as she came out of the kitchen, "You made it!"

"Didn't think we were going to miss it, did you?" Danny asked her.

"I don't know." Mike raised her eyebrow in droll suspicion. "Figured you two might have other things on your mind."

"Watch yourself," Sam warned wryly, unable to stop herself from grinning, "you're starting to turn into Tucker."

"Speaking of whom," Mike said, nodding towards the living room, "he's in there if you want him. In the meantime…well, make yourselves comfortable. I'll probably come through in a minute, but, you know, grab a drink, whatever. Just enjoy!"

"Sounds good to me," Sam replied, before she and Danny went into the living room. Scouring the moderate crowd of people in there, they eventually found Tucker standing with a boy and a girl, engaged in animated conversation. Gradually they wove their way through, and Danny tapped him on the shoulder. Naturally, Tucker looked the wrong way.

Danny laughed and said, "Gets you every time."

Tucker spun around and spied the two of them. "About time you guys got here!" he said. "What took you so long?"

Danny and Sam looked at each other for an answer before Sam replied, "We opted to take the scenic route, get a bit of fresh air."

"Oh, I see," Tucker drawled, and Danny rolled his eyes. He'd never win with this guy, ever. Sam raised a clenched fist, the only warning she really needed to give him. Tucker took the hint and changed the subject. "So…you guys fancy a drink or anything?"

Danny considered this for a moment, deciding to go with his instinct and not entrust anything to Tucker, not even a drink. Deep down, he knew that Tucker probably wouldn't be so stupid as to spike anything, but he was unwilling to take the risk. "It's all right, Tuck," he said, "I'm kinda heading that way anyway, I'll be right back."

He hesitated to take his arm away from Sam, however, looking at her as though asking her permission. "It's OK," she said, "I'll wait here." He acknowledged and slipped through the crowd into the kitchen. He felt much calmer than an hour ago, that was for sure. Maybe it was because he and Sam crossed the burning bridge, before it smouldered into ash? The self-confident streak that had briefly surfaced a couple of days ago began to re-emerge, and he took a minute to gather his thoughts before he grabbed a couple of Coke cans and wandered back to the group.

* * *

Time passed pretty swiftly. Danny was slightly taken aback to glance at his watch and see that an hour-and-a-half had elapsed since they'd arrived. Mike and Tim had moseyed over in the meantime and joined the conversation, which changed subject so many times it was hard to keep track of. At that moment the current topic was Star Wars, but by then Sam and Danny had lost most of their interest; Star Wars wasn't really their thing – you'd seen one, you'd seen 'em all. Rather than voice their opinions and be labelled as heretics for the rest of the evening, they chose to keep silent. 

Peering absent-mindedly around the room, Sam could hear the faint sounds of The Doors seeping through the atmosphere – 'Riders on the Storm'. She had to hand it to Mike – her tastes in music weren't half bad. Some day, she wondered, she'd make a pilgrimage to Paris, like countless other Doors fans, and visit Jim Morrison's grave, maybe lay a flower or two for the old King Snake. Suddenly, she glimpsed an empty space over on the couch, and tugged gently on Danny's sleeve. As he turned his head to face her, she pointed at it and looked at him inquiringly.

Danny shrugged and said, "OK."

"All right…let's go," Sam said, taking hold of his hand and leading him across the room. Danny sat down nearest to the arm, putting his arm around her shoulders again as Sam took a seat next to him. A guy was lying next to them, eyes closed as if passed out. Sam gently shook him and asked, "Are you OK?"

The lad opened his eyes, and replied, "Yeah, I'm fine, no worries. Just catching a breather." He stretched before getting to his feet and adding, "Thanks for asking, though. I'm Marcus." He shook hands with the two of them. "You friends of Mike's?"

"Yeah," Danny answered.

"You local?"

"Amity Park."

"Awesome," Marcus said, tipping them a 'see you later' with his hand. "I'll probably see you guys 'round, then. Have a good evening."

"Yeah, you too," Sam said as he walked off. She laid her head softly on Danny's shoulder, listening to the music. 'Riders' was just finishing, and they sat in contented silence through most of the next song, keeping close to each other.

"As bad as you thought it was gonna be?" Danny asked casually.

"I never said that," she laughed, "just didn't think I'd adapt to it. But you being here with me…kinda made it easier for me."

Danny shrugged it off modestly. "It's no problem. I know you'd do the same thing if you were in my position."

Sam smiled as the track faded out and the next one began. As soon as the hypnotic synthesisers entered, Danny's eyes lit up – 'Comfortably Numb'. "Come on," he said, getting up from the sofa and taking Sam with him, "this song's awesome." He put his arms around her neck and gently pulled her in close to him, softly singing the lyrics to her.

_Hello? Is there anybody in there?  
Just nod if you can hear me  
Is there anyone at home?  
Come on now, I hear you're feeling down  
I can ease your pain,  
Get you on your feet again.  
Relax, I need some information first.  
Just the basic facts,  
Can youshow me where it hurts?_

The music washed over them like the tide as they swayed gently in time with it. Over the other side of the room, they caught the eye of Tucker, Mike and Tim as they continued their conversation.

"Looks like they're getting pretty close," Tim observed.

"Close isn't the half of it," Tucker said. "You'd need a crowbar to wrench those guys apart."

"Denial isn't just a river in Egypt, huh?" Mike laughed. "But I thought this would get them going."

"The song?" Tucker asked.

Mike nodded. "Danny can't resist 'Comfortably Numb' – it's like his Achilles heel."

"Cunning," Tucker conceded in admiration, "very cunning."

"And I don't blame him, really," Mike added, "because, after all, it _is_ the greatest song ever."

Tim rolled his eyes and responded, "No, it isn't. The greatest song ever is obviously 'Like a Rolling Stone'…"

Tucker allowed the debate between Floyd and Dylan to continue without him, and he looked back over to Sam and Danny, still wrapped in each other's warm embrace. _Go on, guys_, he urged them telepathically, _get in there…_

_OK, it's just a little pinprick,  
There'll be no more aaaaaaaaaaaah!  
But you may feel a little sick.  
Can you stand up?  
I do believe it's working, good.  
That'll keep you going through the show.  
Come on, it's time to go._

Allowing fleeting thoughts to rush headlong through his mind, Danny closed his eyes; trying to concentrate on one was hard enough, but was near impossible when he was being bombarded with so many others. He snapped out of his trance when he heard Sam utter a deep sigh.

"Sam?" he asked. Her eyes opened and he looked at her supportively. "What's wrong?"

"Huh? Oh, nothing," Sam lied, a little dazed after her own little moment of introspection.

"You sure?" He was suddenly gripped by a compulsion to know for sure. Oh, God, he thought, was she having second thoughts?... "You look as if there's something on your mind."

_There is no pain, you are receding,  
A distant ship's smoke on the horizon.  
You are only coming through in waves,  
Your lips move, but I can't hear what you're saying._

Sam was completely lost for words – she couldn't phrase adequately enough what she really wanted to say. "You remember that afternoon we spent in the park?"

"Yeah."

"After we came back down the hill…just before I went home?" Her throat was tight, which only made it harder to get the words out. "I…I didn't want to leave you. I didn't even want to leave Amity Park because I'd be leaving you behind as well…"

Danny smiled and answered, "Yeah…I didn't want you to leave, either. I gotta be honest with you, Sam…while you were out in Anaheim…I really missed you." They were so close by now that their foreheads were touching.

_When I was a child, I caught a fleeting glimpse  
Out of the corner of my eye.  
I turned to look, but it was gone.  
I cannot put my finger on it now  
The child is grown, the dream is gone_

"It's just…I think…I…" Sam stuttered, struggling to finish her sentence. "Oh, God…I don't know how to say it…"

_I have become comfortably numb_

Danny gently placed a finger over her lips. "It's OK," he said, "you don't have to." Delicately, he kissed her on the cheek as an invisible guitarist geared up for his big solo. Sam waited for a second before kissing him on the mouth with passionate relief. As she did, all Danny's angst and worry dissolved instantaneously. There was no uncertainty any more, no doubts – all they knew, all they cared about at that moment was the love they shared for each other.

Tucker silently punched the air in triumph. The barrier had been overcome, the gap bridged. He didn't fancy himself as much of a match-maker or date doctor; he just had the gut feeling that they went together like black and white, and seeing them express it to each other for the first time...it was an awesome feeling. He felt happy and somewhat proud of his two friends as he watched them, locked together in the embrace and in the Dance of Eternity…


	6. Lost for Words

Well, I'm sorry to say that this is the last chapter. Thanks to everyone for your supportive reviews and comments - they really meant a lot to me, and I'm glad you all enjoyed reading it so much. So a little afterthought to wrap things up - enjoy!

I don't own 'Danny Phantom' - Butch Hartman does.

I don't own the lyrics to 'Echoes' either - Pink Floyd do.

* * *

_Strangers passing in the street  
By chance two separate glances meet  
And I am you and what I see is me  
And do I take you by the hand  
And lead you through the land  
And help me understand the best I can_

_And no-one calls us to move on  
And no-one forces down our eyes  
And no-one speaks and no-one tries  
And no-one flies around the sun_

Danny opened his eyes slowly, squinting as bright morning sunlight shone through a gap in the curtains into his eyes. Vague images from the night before began to creep back into his memory, blurred and fuzzy. He blinked and wondered if the whole experience hadn't just been a dream. The feeling quickly vanished when he felt Sam's head nuzzle against his T-shirt. The two of them were still lying on Mike's living-room floor; Sam's arm still lay across his waist, his around her shoulders. Save for them, the room was entirely devoid of people, and everything was bathed in a pulsating, yellow glow.

Last night he'd felt a sense of euphoria he hadn't before. Everything had made him feel great – the atmosphere, the music, the people – but Sam most of all. He'd never felt as happy to know her as he did now; she'd always been such a special person to him. Kissing her was the greatest sensation he'd had in his life. From the moment their lips first touched, everything appeared to stand still; time lost all meaning. By the time they broke away, 'Comfortably Numb' had long since finished, as had about seven other songs. The last thing he could remember clearly was Mike asking him and Sam if they wanted to crash there for the night, and then asking Tucker the same question…

Tucker. Danny didn't even know where he was right now, and he felt slightly guilty for not sticking with him last night. He'd obviously found someone to talk to who knew as much about computing as he did, but still… A sudden snore jolted him from his thoughts. He leaned around, only slightly so he wouldn't disturb Sam, and found Tucker lying sound asleep on the sofa, his cap perched over his eyes. He smiled and resolved to make it up to him later.

_I love the friends I have gathered here on this thin raft,_ he thought, briefly remembering a lyric he'd heard somewhere before. Who'd said it – Jim Morrison? Probably – but it was so true.He looked over at Sam, still sleeping innocently at his side; seeing her in the early morning sunlight reminded him just how beautiful she was. Gently he stroked her arm, smiling as she opened her eyes and did the same. "Hey," she whispered.

_Cloudless everyday you fall upon my waking eyes  
Inviting and inciting me to rise  
And through the window in the wall  
Come streaming in on sunlight wings  
A million bright ambassadors of morning_

"Hey," Danny said. "You OK?"

"Yeah," she replied warmly. "Never better." She winked at him.

Danny's smile grew a little wider. He yawned and stretched before glancing at his watch again. "Eight o' clock," he noted. "Not sure I feel like going back to sleep."

Sam held him closer to her. "Don't get up," she bade him quietly, "don't go."

"Thought never crossed my mind," he said, kissing her forehead and stroking her hair. She smiled and kissed him back before she closed her eyes again.

Danny rested his head on the carpet again, watching faint wisps of sunlight flicker on the ceiling. He didn't care if Dash or Kwan or Paulina or any of those guys found out about it, or mocked them for it. He and Sam both loved each other, and he knew that nothing was ever going to change that.

_And no-one sings me lullabies  
And no-one makes me close my eyes  
And so I throw the windows wide  
And call to you across the sky._


End file.
